RE: Survival - Chapter 36
Yohan fired his gun once more to draw the zombiesâ attention toward him. Waves of zombies surged toward him like a flood, threatening to engulf him completely. Shoving aside the advancing zombies with his shoulders, Yohan maneuvered through the chaotic horde.
Even though he was used to such situations, the nature of the task, where even a single mistake could prove fatal, always kept him on edge.
After breaking through the encirclement of zombies to some extent, he began herding them slowly to ensure none strayed. Like rats following the Pied Piper, the zombies trailed behind Yohan in a line.
While herding the zombies, Yohan called Jung-hwan over the radio.
âJung-hwan.â
âYes, hyung? Where are you?â
âIâm almost there. I sent the others ahead. Now, evacuate everyone from the parking lot.â
âWhat? Why?â
âThere are too many zombies nearby. Itâll attract their attention, so evacuate the parking lot now.â
âYes, yes!â
Once Yohan herded the zombies to the center area between the mart and the department store, he sprinted at full speed into a nearby shopping complex. He slipped inside and locked the door behind him, keeping the zombies at bay as they slammed against the glass doors.
The zombies pounded on the glass furiously, threatening to shatter it, but Yohan estimated it would hold for a while. He quietly slipped out through the exit on the other side and continued moving stealthily.
Inside the mart, four vagrants and eight soldiers were newly gathered.
The vagrants appeared relieved, thinking they had found a safe haven, even though they had been disarmed. In contrast, the soldiersâ faces were marked with anxiety and irritation.
âHyung!â
Jung-hwan, drenched in sweat and holding a pistol to keep the soldiers at bay, shouted with a face full of relief when he saw Yohan. Yohan patted him on the shoulder a couple of times before turning to the soldiers.
âYou did well.â
âNot really.â
Jung-hwanâs courage to hold his ground in front of armed soldiers was impressive. He was growing steadily.
The soldiers, however, showed visible discomfort as the campâs population continued to grow. Their unease intensified as they observed the scouting party covered in zombie blood, gripping their weapons tightly in suspicion.
Yohan quickly scanned the soldiers. One officer, one noncommissioned officer, and six enlisted men. They appeared to be a squad or platoon searching for supplies. This likely wasnât their entire group.
âThe rest must be guarding a transport vehicle somewhere.â
A single platoon wasnât a significant threat. For someone like Yohan, who had considered the worst-case scenario of annihilating them all, it was a manageable situation.
The soldiers were clean in appearance, suggesting they hadnât been through many battles. Their disciplined postures and their adherence to formation, even in this chaos, indicated that they were not mere vagrants imitating soldiers but properly trained military personnel. Yohan addressed the officer standing at the forefront.
âSorry to keep you waiting. Iâm Yohan.â
âAre you in charge here?â
The lieutenant offered a slight bow in response to Yohanâs greeting.
âYes. May I ask what this is about again?â
The lieutenantâs evident annoyance at having to repeat himself was quickly subdued as he suppressed his irritation and explained once more.
If they had malicious intent, they would likely have resorted to threats rather than explanations. This realization lessened Yohanâs tension slightly.
âIâm Lieutenant Ahn Jun-min from the Yakdaedong Reserve Battalion. Weâre securing civilian supplies under wartime emergency protocols due to depleted resources. Your cooperation would be appreciated.â
Yakdaedong Reserve Battalion?
Yohanâs expression subtly shifted. A reserve battalion wasnât something to be overly concerned about, even if it came to an armed conflict. The thought brought him some relief, though it raised several questions.
How had a reserve battalion, not a combat unit, survived this long? How had they managed to maintain their chain of command? And, more puzzlingly, why had they come all the way here, bypassing numerous other marts and department stores in the area?
âThis is under Yakdaedong Battalion jurisdiction, is it?â
In the current chaos, military jurisdictions hardly mattered, but Yohan wanted to avoid unnecessary friction with the military. The army could be a bothersome entity if antagonized.
Yohanâs question was polite. However, it seemed accusatory to Lieutenant Ahn, whose face turned awkward.
âWellâŚâ
A brief hesitation.
âItâs not.â
Yohanâs mind raced as he grasped the critical detail.
The platoon didnât have any ammunition.
âWeâve been away from the battalion for some time and have been wandering from place to place, which eventually led us here. We hope for your understanding and cooperation.â
âAs you can see, we have many mouths to feed here. This isnât our entire group; there are survivors in other camps as well. Iâm sorry, but could you procure supplies elsewhere? There are plenty of places around here.â
Yohanâs refusal was as diplomatic as possible. At the same time, he was testing his theory to turn his suspicion into certainty.
The city was a chaos-filled mess, teeming with marts and large stores. Depending on oneâs interpretation, Yohanâs words could be construed as a mild rebuke: why pick this place with survivors instead of other countless stores?
Youâre out of bullets, arenât you?
Thatâs why you avoided zombie-infested locations and came here to take advantage.
Perhaps understanding Yohanâs veiled insinuation, the lieutenantâs face turned red with anger. His voice grew sharper.
âIf you refuse to cooperate, weâll proceed by force. Keep in mind that while you are civilians, this is a wartime situation. We donât want to harm anyone.â
Lieutenant Ahnâs gaze fixated on the firearm slung over Yohanâs shoulder. Observing how the lieutenant was paying so much attention to his weapon, Yohan was now certain.
Well, then.
The decision didnât take long.
âWeâll cooperate.â
Hearing Yohanâs agreement, the lieutenantâs face lit up with relief. However, Yohan quickly added, âBut on one condition.â
âWhat⌠condition?â
Even if he tolerated their shamelessness, he wouldnât let them have it for free.
âAnswer my questions. Given the situation, Iâm quite curious about a few things.â
âWhat kind of questions? As long as it doesnât compromise operational security, Iâll answer.â
At the lieutenantâs reply, Yohan nodded.
âAre you still in contact with higher command? Are there plans for zombie eradication or civilian rescue?â
The questions were sharp and straightforward. After a brief hesitation, the lieutenant replied.
âItâs been some time since weâve received orders from division or corps command. Weâre stuck in limbo.â
âHow long have you been out of your base?â
âAbout a week.â
Wandering around for a week without securing supplies meant the platoon leader had considerable pride.
âThatâs quite some time. Have you tried contacting your base recently?â
This time, the lieutenant hesitated to answer.
âContact has been severed.â
ââŚWe havenât been able to reach the battalion for several days. Thatâs why we need to hurry.â
âHow did you get here? The nearby roads are all blocked, from what I understand.â
âThe roads are blocked, which is why we ended up here. Pyeongcheon Road and Songnae Boulevard were the only routes with some clearance.â
That explained their peculiar route. They must have driven their transport vehicle as far as Songnae Boulevard before proceeding westward on foot, eventually stumbling upon this location. Yohan now understood their strange path.
âHow many personnel are in your unit? Are they all from the same battalion?â
âThatâs classified.â
It was the most critical question, and Yohan hid his disappointment, nodding slightly.
Though Yohanâs questions were disguised as innocent curiosity from a fellow survivor, they were actually calculated to gather details about the unitâwhether they were isolated, how much firepower they had, and whether they posed a significant threat.
Ultimately, Yohan concluded that they were stragglers. Even if they managed to return to their unit, they would likely be met only by zombified comrades.
In his memories of the zombie apocalypse, the South Korean military had collapsed from the top down. The floodgates had burst at the Ministry of National Defense and the headquarters of the Army, Navy, and Air Force, and the devastation had swept down to the corps, divisions, and brigades.
Oddly enough, smaller, specialized units, air defense battalions, or armored brigades with overwhelming firepower had managed to hold out the longestâuntil supply shortages and internal strife eventually led to their downfall.
In short, they either withered away or were overrun by zombie waves. Worse, some units fell apart because an injured soldier turned into a zombie during lights-out, destroying the barracks, or because internal power struggles among officers tore them apart.
Yohan had always avoided military units in his previous life, so he didnât know the full details. But by now, the command structure would be completely broken, with regiments and battalions acting independently to survive.
It was best to show goodwill and send them on their way, all the while preparing for the worstâeliminating them if their behavior turned hostile. Given the hierarchical culture of the military, alliances with stragglers seemed unlikely. Yohan hadnât expected much from the beginning.
âHow much food do you need?â
Lieutenant Ahn glanced around the storage area before replying, âAbout half of whatâs here should suffice.â
Yohanâs expression hardened slightly. Murmurs spread among the camp survivors. Half was an enormous amountâmore than they could possibly carry. From the back, Seri folded her arms and muttered sharply.
âArenât they just outright robbers?â
Her cutting words froze the room. No one scolded her because everyone felt the same way.
âWhat did you say, you brat?â
âHey, you soldiers! Canât you see how many people are here? Do you even know how we managed to gather all this food before you spout such nonsense?â
âShut up, you littleâ!â
The sergeant next to Lieutenant Ahn shouted, but Seri fired back defiantly, âI wonât! What are you going to do about it?â
Yohan didnât bother stopping Seri. The demand was absurd, even to him. Instead, he calmly added, âDonât insult my people. If thereâs one more act of disrespect, this cooperation is over.â
âBut she started itâŚâ
âSergeant Park, thatâs enough,â Lieutenant Ahn intervened, stopping his subordinate.
Despite witnessing the survivorsâ reactions, the lieutenant showed no intention of reducing the requested amount. Half. This is what happens when you show goodwillâthey take it as a right. Yohan replied nonchalantly. After all, even if he agreed, they wouldnât be able to carry it all.
âTake it.â
âHyung!â
âOppa!â
Voices erupted in protest. Even Jung-hwan, who rarely opposed Yohan, raised his voice.
Food was life itself. Even with additional supplies unknown to the soldiers, losing half of the valuable resources in the camp would be a significant blow.
âTrust me,â Yohan reassured.
At those words, Seri and Jung-hwan immediately quieted. For them, âtrust meâ was more than enough. There was no need to question Yohanâs judgment; the answer was always clear.
âYou said your vehicles are on Jungdong Avenue. How do you plan to transport such a large amount?â Yohan asked.
âWeâll make multiple trips at our own pace. Donât worry,â Lieutenant Ahn replied confidently.
Seri muttered quietly, âSo smug.â Yohan suppressed a chuckle and responded, âVery well. Go ahead.â
âThank you for your cooperation. Sergeant Park, move the supplies to the parking lot with the others.â
âYes, sir!â
As the soldiers busied themselves with the supplies, Yohan shrugged. Fine, go ahead and try.
Once the soldiers left, accusatory gazes turned toward Yohan.
âHyung, what were you thinking?â
âOppa, I kept quiet because you told us to trust you, but whatâs the plan?â
âDonât worry,â Yohan replied. âTheyâre not leaving this place with all that food.â
âWhat? Why?â
Why? Because thereâs a horde of zombies waiting outside.